Title: Maximizing Zinc and Selenium Absorption to Prevent Valproic Acid (Depakote) Hair Changes: Zinc and Selenium Deficiencies on Standard Vitamin-mineral Supplements.

Years ago, a popular researcher in psychiatry said all one needs to do to treat valproic acid (Depakote) related hair side effects is take a common well-known multi-vitamin with selenium and zinc.

Now I realize he did not understand there are many forms of these essential minerals. Also, he likely never checks these mineral levels in his Depokote patients. If he had, he would have found that his one tablet a day theory was limited and that cheap nutrients do not help people much.

Selenium helps the body fight off many cancers and zinc is used in 200-300 enzymes in the body. It is not a trivial issue since we need good cell levels of these nutrients in that requires good absorption of sufficient doses.